Western Reef Heron is found all along the coastline just a short walk from Footsteps. They are difficult to miss on the beach as they are quite big and with their slaty grey colour stand out against the golden sand.
AKA Western Reef Egret, it has the funniest legs I think I’ve ever seen ( picture right ). They look just like a pair of stilts 😂
Where can we find the Western Reef Heron?
It generally inhabits wetlands like the one close to Footsteps or areas of coastline.
What does it look like?
The male and female are approximately 80 -95 cm in length. Slaty Grey in colour with a white flash on the underside of the neck. They also have yellow feet as pictured above.
What does it feed on?
These birds stalk their prey in shallow water, often running or stirring the water with their feet or flicking their wings to disturb prey; they may also stand still and wait to ambush prey. They eat fish, crustaceans, and molluscs. In coastal areas, they regularly feed on mudskippers. Source Wikipedia
Want to know an interesting Factoid?
It is the male’s job to fetch sticks with which to build the nest. It is the female’s job to build the platformed nest, sometimes at a height of 15 metres.
How does it sound?
As with other herons and egrets they don’t have much to say. They let out a low-sounding Kwok if you approach or disturb their nest site.